If you could only keep one, which: a Nakamichi RX-505 or a CR-7A?

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by dharmabumstead, Mar 1, 2015.

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  1. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    I am fortunate enough to have two really nice Willy Hermann-serviced Nakamichi tape decks: an RX-505 and a CR-7A. I just bought an Oppo BDP-105D, though, and need to make room in my audio rack, so one of them has to go. The problem is I can't decide which one.

    Opinions, please. If you had to choose one of these two decks, which one would you pick, and why?
     
  2. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
    Willy Hermann is a great restorer of decks. He did my Dragon. :righton:

    Of those, I'd keep the CR-7A.

    You lose the auto reverse feature of the flipper, plus the sheer joy of seeing it physically flip the tape, but the alignment capabilities of the CR-7A make it, for me, the sure winner in this battle. You can tweak it for whatever tape you throw in it, both recording and playback. In the auto calibration mode, for recording it will adjust its bias and Dolby calibration levels to the specific tape in the machine at that moment. When playing back a tape, you can adjust the deck's head azimuth to get the best high frequency response. That's especially valuable for tapes made on another machine.

    The CR-7a should be the better sounding deck.

    But that's me. If you use the decks for background music, and always play both sides of the cassette, then the RX-505 would be the better machine to keep.

    It gets down to what you want - greater convenience or better sound?
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2015
    McLover, Dave, macster and 5 others like this.
  3. rudyy

    rudyy Active Member

    Location:
    El Centro
    He did my 670ZX.
     
  4. Loved my 505 when I had it. Sounded fantastic linked to my Technics integrated amp at 125 wpc. couldn't live without the autoreverse for those times you just don't want to get up to change sides
     
  5. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Well, I just discovered that the tape EQ switch on the RX-505 is messed up, so it's getting boxed up and sent to Willy Hermann...so decision delayed for a while.
     
    johnny q likes this.
  6. johnny q

    johnny q Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bergen County, NJ
    Those are two of my dream decks...but the CR-7A is dreamier IMO.

    I never heard of Willy Hermann. I guess he is to Nakamichi what Kevin at KAB is to Technics???
     
  7. ggergm

    ggergm another spring another baseball season

    Location:
    Minnesota
  8. G E

    G E Senior Member

    Find a way to keep both, even if one lives in a box under your bed.

    There will come a day when you wish you had not parted with whichever one you chose.
     
    jusbe, Bob_in_OKC, pscreed and 4 others like this.
  9. Scotch1945

    Scotch1945 Member

    Location:
    Scotland
    Yes, keep them in the family. These are two of the few cassette decks that seem to be increasingly sought after.
    If you have to part with one, though, I would keep the auto-reverse if you are as old as me. On the other hand, we are told to keep movin' or we'll die!
     
  10. JakeMcD

    JakeMcD Forum Resident

    Location:
    So Central FL
    My vote is with the CR7A. Man do I miss mine. Adjustable azimuth - very cool.
     
  11. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    Update: I kept the RX-505 and sold the CR-7, eventually replacing it with a super clean Dragon (purchased direct from Willy Hermann).
     
    nm_west, johnny q, pscreed and 2 others like this.
  12. ssmith3046

    ssmith3046 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Arizona desert
    Love my Dragon. Willy did a rebuild on mine about five years ago. Congrats on the Dragon purchase.
     
    dharmabumstead and bearman16 like this.
  13. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    Or just send the 505 to me, to care for and tend to until you need it back. :D
     
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  14. Pinknik

    Pinknik Senior Member

    I skimmed over the update. D'oh! Congrats on the Dragon.
     
    dharmabumstead likes this.
  15. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    One year update: love the Dragon, but I totally regret selling the CR-7A. I just bought another from eBay; non-functioning (needs belts, I suspect) but in *pristine* cosmetic condition. Waiting for my turn in Willy Hermann's service queue...
     
    Pinknik and Bob_in_OKC like this.
  16. johnny q

    johnny q Forum Resident

    Location:
    Bergen County, NJ
    It's an addiction I tell ya!! :)

    I replied earlier in the thread suggesting to keep the CR-7A, but I really wanted to say, "keep them both and make some room for them." Looks like you kind of did that (and more) in a roundabout way :)
     
  17. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    How long is the que?

    M~
     
  18. Remote Control Triangle

    Remote Control Triangle Forum Member Rated 6.8 By Pitchfork

    Location:
    Las Vegas
    ~ 4-6 months, last I heard.
     
  19. macster

    macster Forum Resident

    Location:
    San Diego, Ca. USA
    Thanks

    M~
     
  20. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Innocent Bystander

    It may only be a stuck cam motor (a common problem in many of these decks). Search the 'net and you'll see lots of references. Very easy to correct, and could save you a trip to Willy's...at least for now.

    Cheers,
    Larry B.[/QUOTE]
     
  21. David P. Hill

    David P. Hill Forum Resident

    Location:
    Irving, Tx
    I have the Nakamichi CR-7A and a 680ZX. Thoroughly enjoy both of them. The "Dragon" was always my favorite, but couldn't afford one back then. Have to keep Wally Hermann, the Nak service guy in my mind when I need repair on mine. Is he reasonable on pricing and does good work?
     
  22. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    ~2 year update:

    [​IMG]
     
    cnolanh, WestGrooving, jusbe and 7 others like this.
  23. McLover

    McLover Senior Member

    I'm a sound quality man, the CR-7A for me is the one which stays in the rack.
     
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  24. WestGrooving

    WestGrooving Forum Resident

    Location:
    California, U.S.A
    I have the Nakamichi CR-1A & CR-2A. I would be more interested in the CR-7A over the RX-505 (I like the CR-1A/2A sound and not really into the flipping tape mechanism)
     
    dharmabumstead likes this.
  25. dharmabumstead

    dharmabumstead Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Pacific Northwest
    I have all three together now after getting the RX-505 back from Willy Hermann, but I am selling the 505. As fun it is I just don’t have quite enough room for three tape decks!
     
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